Unions Call For Nationwide Strikes 6 Jun Following May Day Violence

Bloomberg reporting that French trade union federations have called for a nationwide day of action in just over a months on 6 June in order to protest the gov'ts controversial pension reforms. This comes a day after mass violence erupted in several French cities on the May Day bank holiday that in many nations is used as a day of protest by labour organisations. The French Interior Ministry stated that 406 police officers were injured in the violence, 259 in Paris, 540 individuals were arrested, and that the protests were the largest since 2002.

• Andrew Connell at Sky News: "Unions are not giving up their fight. They believe there are still avenues to get this law repealed. There will be a debate in the French parliament next month about a bill to cancel the law. Before that, there will be a decision this week on whether there could be a referendum. And there are due to be talks between the French prime minister and unions perhaps next week. They have so far refused to meet Elisabeth Borne. And protest days are likely to be called, so demos on the streets are set to continue. As yesterday showed, the opposition is entrenched."
• The Constitutional Council is set to rule tomorrow (3 May) on a second request for a referendum on the pension reforms, with the likelihood that the request is rejected.
• Two days after the planned 6 June strikes, the small opposition LIOT group in the National Assembly is due to present renewed legislation to repeal the reforms.